Knob neck mounting



1962 F. J. RUSSELL 3,065,014

KNOB NECK MOUNTING Filed June 24, 1960 INVENTOR.

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3,065,014 KNGB NEQK MOUNTING Fred .l. Russell, 3800 Don Felipe Drive, Los Angeles 8, Calif. Filed .lune 24, 1960, Ser. No. 38,566 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-356) The invention relates to door locks and has special reference to a manner or means of mounting the knob in order to provide a particularly smooth Working operation of the knob in its position on the lock and also to provide a greater access area than has theretofore been available for the insertion of mechanisms into the knob for their customary operation.

In the construction of door locks of the cylindrical case variety, the usual practice has been to make use of a spindle formed from sheet material into a tubular shape which approximates the desired shape and size only to within certain relatively wide tolerances. Ordinarily, the knob is provided with a reduced portion identified commonly as a neck. Although formed to a relatively close tolerance, the neck is made to fit rather loosely or freely upon the spindle, the loose fit being provided so that regardless of whether or not the spindle may be in the high or low range tolerance, all knobs can be expected to fit. The knob is normally fastened to the spindle by some appropriate conventional key or detent so that the knob and the spindle are non-rotatably attached together. Because of the permitted fluctuation in diameter dimension of the spindle, on many occasions where the spindle might be of the smallest permitted size, there will be much too great a degree of looseness in the fit of the neck on the spindle, and the knob will therefore tend to wobble and rattle.

Further still, because of the relatively small diameter of the average spindle, the diameter of the neck of the knob has needed to be correspondingly small in diameter and hence, for those locks which need to have key operated mechanisms inserted into the knob through the neck, the amount of opening has placed a very definite limit on the size of such mechanisms or has required the notching of the neck. The small size permitted when the neck is not notched has been a considerable handicap in many instances in providing effective, rugged, and at the same time, inexpensive mechanisms of the type made reference to. The notching of the neck impairs the strength of same an adds the cost of the notching and the cost of covering the notch.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved knob neck mounting for a door knob of such construction that a smooth, snug, rotating fit is assured under all circumstances 1egardless of variation in the size of the spindle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved knob neck mounting which is applied over a precision-machined hub rather than over the spindle to assure a closer fit and a smoother operation while at the same time, however, preserving the customary nonrotatable connection directly between the spindle and the knob.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved knob neck mounting for a door knob which makes it possible to employ a knob neck having a greatly enlarged inside diameter, thereby to make possible use of much larger key operated mechanisms, button operated mechanisms and other mechanisms which the knob must slip over at the neck portion while at the same time retaining a spindle of the customary small diameter without notching the knob neck.

Still another object of the invention is to preserve the full strength of the knob neck through which a keyoperated mechanism or other mechanism must pass.

3,065,014 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 Also included among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved knob neck mounting considerably more closely lit to its mating part than any heretofore devised, larger in inside diameter than those heretofore in operation, while at the same time making it possible to use remaining portions of the lock in conventional size and construction, thereby to make substitution of the new knob neck mounting possible without material change in standard conventional equipment.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a door and a door lock therefor showing both sides of the structure in mounted position upon the door.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the knobs showing further details of the structure and mounting.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of the device.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration there is shown mounted in a door 10 a door lock comprising a housing 11 which is of substantially conventional construction contained within a hole 12 extending through the door from one face 13 to the other face 14. Two spindles 15 and 16, respectively, are operatively connected in the usual conventional fashion to a latch bolt mechanism (not shown) located within the housing, the spindles extending outwardly respectively from opposite sides of the housing and outwardly of the respective faces of the door 10.

On the right side of the housing 11, as viewed in FIG- URES 1 and 2, there is mounted a hub 17, the hub being st-ationarily secured within the housing 11 to an appropriate structure 18, the structure being a permanent, stationary, conventional portion of the housing 11. The hub extends laterally outwardly through a hole 19 in the housing and thence outwardly centrally of the hole 12 beyond the face 13 of the door. A similar hub 20 is similarly mounted on the opposite side of the housing 10.

As is customary in the lock manufacturing industry, the spindles 15 and 16 are made up from sheet stock and formed by some appropriate means into the tubular shape shown in the drawing. This is an inexpensive and acceptable construction, but the diameter of the finished spindle may vary from ten to twenty thousandths larger or smaller than the ideal diameter because of the standard variation in the thickness of the metal, the wear in the forming dies, and/or the spring-back after forming caused by the variation in the hardness of the sheet stock or a limitation in the rolling or forming technique.

A knob 25 on the right side of the device, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, is provided with a face portion 26 ha ing in its interior wa l a recess 27 providing an annular wall 28 within which the outer end of the spindle is received and has a hearing, as shown in applieants copending application for Knob Outer End Stabilizer, Serial No. 32,874, filed May 31, 1960, of which this is a continuationdu-part.

A neck 29 extends rearwardly of the knob and is provided with an aperture 30 into which extends a springpressed detent 31 mounted within the spindle which serves as a means for fastening the knob non-rotatably to the spindle. For this purpose the detent is provided with a projecting end 32 which actually projects into the aperture under pressure of a leaf spring 33 which is secured in notches 34, 35 in the wall of the spindle. A recess 36 extending between the notches provides for the free and unrestricted movement of the spring. A hole 37 in the detent admits the spring in the conventional fashion, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, so that when the knob is to be removed the end 32 of the detent is pressed inwardly by some appropriate tool against tension of the spring 33 until the end clears the aperture 30, after which the knob can be withdrawn. Contrarily, when the knob is to be mounted upon the spindle, the detent is depressed until it clears the inside circumference of the neck, after which the neck is slid over the detent until the end falls in alignment with the aperture 30, upon which event the spring 33 presses it outwardly into the interlocked position shown in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that the detent fastens the knob to the spindle in the area of the neck but that the detent does not engage any other portion of the structure herein shown.

The hub 17, because it is a machined part, has its interior circumference 38 formed to a relatively precise tolerance, namely, much closer than the tolerance capable of being maintained on the outside diameter of the spindle 15. The spindle 15 must fit within the hub 17 in a manner which permits it to rotate freely within the hub 17.

For securing the housing 11 and the attached spindles 15 and 16 and attached hubs 17 and 20 in the positions shown in the drawings, there is provided an escutcheon 40 on the right side and a corresponding escutcheon 41 on the left side, as viewed in FIGURE 1, which are larger in diameter than the hole 12 so as to entirely cover the 'hole. A fastening trim ring 42 is shown on the right side and a similar fastening ring 43 on the left side. Each ring is provided with an appropriate shoulder 44 which bears against the exterior of the escutcheon. Each ring in turn is provided with an interiorly threaded portion 45 which threadedly engages an exterior threaded portion 46 of the hub 17 on the right side and of the hub 20 on the left side. The fastening rings are screwed toward each other upon the respective hubs until they bear tightly against the escutcheons against the opposite faces 13 and 14 of the door, thereby to anchor the housing 11 and the appropriate spindles and hubs in proper position upon the door. To provide a resistance against unscrewing of the rings,

there may be employed an O-ring type or other type of friction band 47 received in a suitable annular recess 48 in the hub into which threads can cut during the fastening operation and which because of its friction-creating character will tend to prevent unscrewing of the rings once they are tightened in proper position.

On the fastening ring 42, for example, there is provided a skirt 42' of substantially larger inside diameter than the 'outside diameter of the hub 17, thereupon leaving an annular space 49 of considerable breadth and length,

sufficient to extend well over the exterior of the neck 29 regardless of whether or not the lock be applied to a relatively thindoor 10 or to a door of greater thickness. It isimportant to note that the hub 17 is provided with an outside cylindricalportion 50 which, when fabricated,

is formed customarily by a machining operation by means of which the circumference can beheld to a relatively close tolerance. The size'of this cylindrical portion and its construction is important to the effective operation of the device in that it can be made to provide a consistently snug, smoothly rotating fit with respect to the inside circumference of the neck 29, When mounted as shown, the neck 29 over a considerable portion of its length bears directly upon the cylindrical portion 50 of the hub, thus sistently snug, smoothly rotating fit with respect to the outside circumference of the neck 29.

By reason of the fact that the cylindrical portion 50 is substantially greater in outside diameter than the outside diameter of the spindle 15, the inside circumference of the neck 29 is correspondingly greater and hence provides a much greater opening. Accordingly, the knob can be applied over key operated mechanisms, button operated mechanisms and similar mechanisms (not shown) which may mount in the outer end of the spindle 15. Where such mechanisms are employed, the face 26 on the knob will customarily be provided with an opening 51 shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2 so that access can be had to the mechanism from the exterior of the knob.

In the drawings there is shown, for example, a knob 52 on the opposite or left-hand side of the door 10 as shown in FIGURE 1. Other details present on the structure on the left-hand side other than those already made reference to have not been pointed out in retail inasmuch as they substantially duplicate the details already described in connection with the left-hand side.

From the description given it will be clear that there need be no change in the conventional construction of the spindle and other parts of the lock. The hub, with respect to its connection to the housing 11, can follow accepted practice. By reason of the fact that the outside diameter of the hub determines the desirable degree of opening available through the neck 29 of the knob, the thickness of the hub can be selected in order to provide an appropriate outside diameter for the cylindrical portion 50 which will meet the particular requirements of sub stantially any selected mechanism which might be mounted in the spindle. It is not, however, necessary to add to the number of separate parts over and above those heretofore used nor to complicate or increase the manufacturing operations to any material degree. Hence, the improved construction can be made available as inexpensively as other structures heretofore employed.

In the form of device shown in FIGURE 4, a knob 25 is provided with a neck 29' having a slightly larger outside diameter so that the exterior of the neck bears rotatably against an interior wall 42 of the skirt 42. In this form the inside wall of the neck is greater in diameter than the outside cylindrical portion 50 of the hub 17 so that there is a clearance therebetween. The support for the neck, therefore, although supplied by structure stationarily mounted on the door, acts on the exterior of the neck with substantially the same effectiveness as in the form of invention shown in FIGURES 1, 2, and 3.

While the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. In a door lock, a housing for retention of operating parts of the lock within a door, a hub mounted on the housing and extending outwardly of the door, a spindle having a rotating fit with the interior of said hub and extending from the interior of the housing outwardly of the door, a knob non-rotatably and axially secured to the spindle, and a neck on the knob having an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the spindle, and forming an annular space therebetween, said neck having a rotating engagement with the outer portion of said hub, said hub being located in said annular space and separating said neck from engagement with said spindle.

2. In a door lock, a housing for retention of operating parts of the lock, a hub mounted on'the housing and extending outwardly of the housing, a spindle rotatably mounted in said hub and extending from the interior of the housing outwardly of the housing, a fastening trim ring covering a portion of the hub and including an extension on the ring forming a substantially annular space between the ring and the hub, a knob non-rotatably and axially secured to the spindle, and a neck on the knob having a rotating engagement with the hub and partially extending under a portion of said trim ring when the lock is in place on a door.

3. In a door lock, a housing for retention of operating parts of the lock, a hub mounted on the housing and extending outwardly of the housing, a spindle rotatably mounted in the housing and extending from the interior of the housing outwardiy of the housing, means surrounding the hub including a ring having a skirt of inside diameter greater than the hub and providing a cylindrical space between the hub and the ring, a knob non-rotatably and axially secured to the spindle at a location exterior with respect to said hub, and a neck on the knob located within said cylindrical space.

4. In a door lock, a housing for retention of operating parts of the lock, a hub mounted on the housing and extending outwardly of the housing, a spindle rotatably mounted in the housing and extending from the interior of the housing outwardly of the housing, means surround ing the hub including a ring having a skirt of inside diameter greater than the hub and providing a cylindrical space between the hub and the ring, a knob non-rotatably and axially secured to the spindle, and a neck on the knob spaced from the hub and having a rotating fit Within the cylindrical space against said skirt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,244,238 Best June 3, 1941 2,293,856 Schlage Aug. 25, 1942 2,450,449 Schlage Oct. 5, 1948 

